Union County animal control looking to expand

Union County leaders hope more space will save the lives of animals picked up by animal control.

The current facility has only 12 dog runs, an outdoor cat pen and a portable shed for an office. Animal Control Officer Brandi Wheeler says that small space makes it difficult to operate.

"It's very hard," said Wheeler. "We pick up 20-30 animals in a week. We don't have the space for them."

In the past, the shelter has become so full that animal control officers had to euthanize animals to make space.

"I assisted with the euthanasia when I first started here," said Wheeler. "When we got full, we would put down everything we had here. That was really hard for me."

For the past 18 months animal control officers have worked hard to place overflow animals elsewhere to avoid putting them down.

Union County leaders set aside money in the budget to expand animal control to help the hundreds of lost and neglected animals Union County comes across each year.

"We're looking for three acres to have a facility where we can fit these dogs and cats and horses, goats, pigs," said Union County Board chairman Don Denny. "Right now, we do not have anywhere to house them. So we have to take them to another facility or rent additional land from a farmer."

County Board chairman Don Denny says he's hopeful the City of Anna will sell or donate two acres at animal control's current location to expand what is already there.

"Our goal is to try to get a building this year so we can move forward," said Denny. "That's our goal, that's what we'd like to see."

Denny says the county has set aside more than $20,000 to purchase land and a new building. County leaders hope animal lovers will donate to help make union county's animal control the best it can be.